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Profile Information

Name of organization where you work?

Education/Medical Management Consultant

What is your title?

Advancement Advisor

Number of years in the profession?

20+

What else would you like to share?

I have spent virtually my entire professional career leading nonprofit organizations in their efforts to secure the resources necessary to make a significant impact.

I have worked at four of the nation's most successful philanthropic institutions: the University of California, Berkeley, Brown University, Children’s National Medical Center (Washington, D.C.), and J. William Fulbright International Center. Over the past three years, I served as an advancement professional at the independent school that my son, John, attended.

I successfully completed the four-hour Certification for Fund Raising Executives (CFRE), was a member of the National Committee for Planned Giving, and the Association of Health Care Professionals (AHP). I was one of six recipients of the Distinguished Staff Award from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition, I'm a twenty-year award honoree from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Early in my adult life, I was the district director for Assemblywoman Jackie Speier (now a Member of Congress) and worked with Congressman Mike Thompson, and former Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta. Following my career in public service, I was president of The Election Company, one the most trusted, full-service political campaign firms. In this role, I helped legislative members solve the seemingly impossible constituent responsibilities.

I have presented at CASE, CASE Europe, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. My media appearances include USA Today, KPIX-5, KRON-4, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, The Pacific Citizen, Tokyo Television, National Public Radio (NPR), and Campaigns & Elections Magazine.

Reared in Berkeley, I attended local public schools. I am an Eagle Scout and a former Scoutmaster of my troop. I'm a graduate of the Trinity College & University and the distinguished Coro Foundation. I recently completed the WOW Institute training program, which teaches a customized fund raising process based on an authentic core of concern for the philanthropist.

I recently completed the StrengthFinders 2.0 assessment, which discovers an individual's personal talents. Here are my top five themes:
Empathy
Positivity
Developer
Adaptability
Woo
Check out my strengths at www.strengthfinders.com

My pics are of my son, John, my life-long friend, Holly (the champion Corgi) , Chocolate Kitty (Maddie), White Chocolate Kitty (Teddy), Davis (dark chocolate dog), Kimie (japanese pit bull), and me, singing "Brick House" at my kid's school auction.

My Case Statement

It’s the donor, stupid! Well, of course, it’s always been the donor. And, most organizations understand that 90% of all of the support given comes from 10% of their donors. After over two decades of as a full-time advancement professional, I’ve come to realize that the old school, tried and true methodologies of raising philanthropic support, i.e. volunteer phone-a-thons, glossy printed brochures, fancy dinners, and attempting to raise donor participation is just that, old school. We’ve decided on what the donors want, rather than giving the donors what they want.

With the technology advancements in our world, how we interact and communicate, puts dramatically more emphasis on innovation and creativity for fund raising and taking our top donors’ view is more important than ever. The competition for philanthropic dollars is also, greater than ever. Personal, customized donor strategies and tactics are needed to take a fresh, radical re-look at the how we wow the donor experience.

If you're interested in talking over any advancement topics, send me a note to: David.Ichibro@gmail.com